Origins Lab

Congratulations to Dr. James Zhang on successfully defending his PhD dissertation. He now moves on to join a postdoc position at MIT. Wish you the best in all your endeavors!!

Congrats to Dr. Camilla Liu on her PhD defense! Her research showed that despite shifts in day length, tides, wind stress, and continental configuration through Earth's history, the ocean mixing timescale changed little. As she embarks on her next venture as an entrepreneur, there’s no doubt she has all it takes to succeed!

New paper alert! PhD student Justin Hu, now at Cambridge U, has explored neutron capture effects in lunar regolith, using a stochastic model of impact gardening. This breakthrough helps us understand the resurfacing history of airless bodies like the Moon. @NASA @EarthSciCam @GeoSci_UChicago @OriginsLab @NASAArtemis @SpaceX sciencedirect.com/science/articl…

Congratulations to the PI: Nicolas Dauphas @TheCosmiChemist on being elected to @theNASciences National Academy of Sciences!!

It is with a heavy heart and profound emotion that I announce the passing of my beloved spouse, Reika Yokochi, who left us at the age of 48 after a courageous battle with EGFR-positive lung cancer @EGFRResisters, a disease that disproportionately affects non-smoking Asian women. Reika was an extraordinary companion, a devoted mother, and a renowned scientist. Besides her remarkable scientific career, Reika was a talented musician, a passion she lovingly passed on to our children. Saori, now 14, and Kensei, 9, have become dedicated violinists. Her spirit continues to illuminate my life and that of our children, who remain the guardians of her love and wisdom. In the field of Earth and planetary sciences, Reika made her mark with her ability to solve complex problems with creativity and rigor. She advanced our understanding of the origin of Earth's volatiles by identifying the presence of rare gases of solar origin in the deep mantle. Her experimental research into the trapping of gases in cometary ice has opened new avenues for understanding the formation and evolution of our solar system. Additionally, by studying the pathways of groundwater, she discovered that certain water reserves beneath the Negev desert were over 361,000 years old, thereby revealing unprecedented aspects of the Earth's hydrological cycle. Her departure leaves a huge void in the scientific community. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reika_Yok…

The significance of Mars samples to scientific exploration cannot be overstated. MSR has the potential not only to advance our scientific and technological frontiers but also to rekindle society's connection with the narrative of scientific progress. 1/6 space.com/nasa-troubled-…

Another 940 million kilometer journey around the Sun has come to an end. It has been a challenging year for many, marked by avoidable pain and suffering caused by a lack of effective leadership. Let's hold hope for a brighter 2024. We have a series of fascinating studies in the pipeline, exploring topics like ocean circulation in the past, the magmatic history of the Moon, its delicate exosphere, crust formation, and more, all conducted by outstanding students. Farewell to 2023. Here's to a better 2024 ahead. Best wishes to all!

Enjoyed a fantastic day out with the lab team @OriginsLab for our annual retreat! This year's highlight was Lake Michigan's shores at Mount Baldy, just an hour from Chicago. We had perfect weather and the beautiful autumn foliage was in full display. #LabRetreat #AutumnVibes

Want to hear how water shaped the isotopic composition of a cosmic mudball? Yokoyama-san's lab has analyzed samples from asteroid Ryugu and has figured it out. 💧 Water's action on Ryugu is clear—altering chromium isotopes and forming carbonates about 5 million years post-solar system's birth. science.org/doi/10.1126/sc… @JAXA_en @haya2e_jaxa

In the Earth Science Day event held in Hinds today, Camilla @xliu98 served as one of the session leaders and walked 30 high school students through the history of Earth's surface. Thanks to the organizers and volunteers for their awesome work!

Raising a glass over Chicago last Friday to celebrate another productive week and to welcome our new prospective student🍻

The lab celebrated upcoming Chinese New Year once again with delicious Cantonese cuisine🥢 p.s. It's gonna be Year of the Rabbit, the Chinese zodiac sign for @DauphasNicolas 🐰

The lab's new website is now available at originslab.net Thanks to all the contributors: Camilla Liu @xliu98, James Zhang, Eric Rego, Justin Hu and Nicolas Dauphas @DauphasNicolas

Check out our latest study on the origin of Ryugu featured by @UChicagoNews: news.uchicago.edu/story/rock-sco…

Congrats to Orlab alumnus Nicole Nie!

BIG congratulations to our lab alumni @NicoleNie5734 and @CafeMadridista, who are respectively starting their faculty position at MIT in 2023 and USTC this Fall!

Celebrating the end of academic year with Haidilao hotpot😋

Check out the latest #Science paper co-authored by our own Nicolas Dauphas on asteroid Ryugu from #Hayabusa2: science.org/doi/10.1126/sc… Also featured in #UChicagoNews: news.uchicago.edu/story/scientis…

Brainstorming about our next tweet🤔

Socially distanced gathering on December 31 to celebrate the end of 2020 and the beginning of 2021.